Alarms on the Selwyn Street level crossing had been switched off and the lights covered up. Photo: RNZ / Joelle Dally
Transport safety investigators are calling for better safety measures at level crossings, following a near collision between a bus and a freight train in Christchurch last year.
The Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) has released its report into the incident on Selwyn Street last August, where a passenger bus came within 12 metres of a KiwiRail locomotive.
The Selwyn Street level crossing had been disconnected on 6 August 2022 when a fault could not be fixed that day.
TAIC found the barrier arms were up, bags were over the alarm lights to show they were out of service, and a rail speed limit was imposed, but KiwiRail did not tell the council about the disconnection.
A Metro bus drove across the level crossing as a train approached, narrowly missing it. There was no damage or injuries.
TAIC chief investigator of accidents Naveen Kozhuppakalam said KiwiRail's procedures did not adequately address the risk posed by leaving the crossing unattended.
"The council, as the road controlling authority, wasn't informed of the fault at the level crossing and wasn't consulted on potential risk controls, because there was no requirement in KiwiRail's procedures to do so for an unplanned disconnection," he said.
"As a result, no form of temporary traffic management was put in place until after the near miss between the bus and train was reported on Monday 8 August 2022."
TAIC recommended KiwiRail and councils work together to improve risk management in similar situations.